I Am the Light of the World

now if you have your bible turn back with me to john chapter 8 where jesus declares i am

John 8 · chapter mention

the light of the world whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light

of life so a couple of weeks ago i was back in sky and i was as i was preparing for this i was

thinking of one of the iconic buildings the new tourist destinations on the isle of sky nice

point lighthouse familiar to some folks in our congregation it's really iconic for its setting

people will travel across the world for the wonderful sunsets you get there of course that

wasn't why it was designed and built it's been in operation since 1909 its light shines for 16

nautical miles its purpose isn't so that folks can have pretty pictures though that's a side benefit

its purpose of course like every lighthouse is to shine in the darkness it's to reveal hidden danger

and it's to guide ships to safety and so i was thinking about what jesus said is the light of

the world i was thinking about that lighthouse and see there's so much connection there and we'll think

about that but of course the setting for john chapter 8 isn't jesus standing in front of a lighthouse we

John 8 · chapter mention

have jesus in the temple courtyard with so many thousands of gathered worshipers for the feast of

tabernacles this autumn festival where the people remembered and gave thanks for the fact that god

provided the crops for them and it was also a time when they would go and they would live in these tents

or booths to remember that god had set them free from being slaves and taking them from the wilderness to

the promised land and so it was a time of great worship and part of how they worship was that they would

sit up for giant lamps in the corners of the temple courtyards and they would celebrate and they would

praise god under the lamplight this glow would fill the city of jerusalem and and here is jesus

and he's illuminated by these four great lamps and he declares to the people i am the light of the world

again as we said last week this is a huge claim from jesus i am the old testament name of god jesus saying

i am god i am light i'm light for the world some of us know science i don't know science but even at my

basic level i know light is vital for life if you want there to be growth you need light when we need

direction and guidance we need to have lights anyone who's been lost in the woods anyone who's been stuck in a

blackout situation you know light is good for direction and for safety

so our plan for this morning is to think about this great saying of jesus and to look at three aspects to think

about light and darkness one of those many contrasts you get in john's gospel to think about light and revelation

and to think about light and salvation and we're going to use jesus words and we're going to do two

things with those words we're going to connect them with the theme of light in the old testament

there's loads of light teaching in the old testament and we're going to connect them with other teaching

from john's gospel so that we'll have this this vision hope and pray of jesus the light of the world

that we might follow him together that we might be walking in the light so let's begin with light

light and darkness and darkness um i guess culturally whether we have a bible background or not light

and dark is a familiar contrast um we think often about good and evil in those terms uh we think of

western movies and white hats and black hats or or perhaps for those of a particular generation we think

of luke skywalker and darth vader the iconic man in black well the bible picks up that kind of light

and dark theme from the very beginning so we'll see on our screen some bible texts i think so genesis 1

it reminds us that when god created the world he created it in the beginning god created the heavens

and the earth now the earth was formless and empty darkness it was over the surface of the deep and then

god spoke the first words recorded in the bible from god let there be light and that light was good

and that life was a source of life and that light brought separation from darkness

second book of the bible book of exodus it finds at the beginning of that book israel living as slaves

in egypt and god has announced that he's going to let his people go he's going to save them and he's going

to show his power with these 10 plagues these acts of judgment on pharaoh and egypt and the ninth of those

plagues was a thick darkness for three days a darkness that could be felt felt by egypt but for israel

they lived in the light they were enjoying god's light there was separation between light and darkness

jesus said i am the light of the world in jesus coming and we are to appreciate jesus is this gift

of life and light from god he is the one who is truly good he is the one who is pushing back the darkness

and through faith in him his people then live in god's light

as i said john's gospel has a light and dark contrast theme from the beginning john chapter 1

John 1 · chapter mention

we find in verse 4 and verse 5 and again the words i think are up there in him was life and that life

was the light of all mankind the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it so

here is jesus god's word the one who gives life life giving light to a world in darkness a world in

rebellion there is this promise that the light will not be overcome by the darkness the darkness is not

able to comprehend to fully understand god's light when it comes but john announces jesus is god's true

light there is no darkness in jesus then jesus we see the full glory of god being displayed for us

that sounds like good news but many people didn't receive it that way many people today still don't

receive it that way john chapter 3 after that famous verse i have verse 16 for god so loved the world that

John 3 · chapter mention

he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

we find there in verse 19 this is the verdict light has come into the world jesus has come into the world

but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil everyone who does evil hates the

light and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed

so one of the pictures in john's gospel is of the world as this human system in rebellion against god our

creator and so jesus comes as light but what do people instinctively choose they choose to hate the

light and they choose darkness because they want to be exposed you can be the idea of being exposed by light

and maybe you've seen this um in your workplace perhaps perhaps you or a colleague does the right

thing you you work and act with integrity but rather than than facing applause you find that people

become really uh harsh towards you or speak badly about you because their own failings have been exposed and

that's an uncomfortable thing jesus in his perfection and with the glory of god it reveals our imperfection

and and that's something instinctively we don't want to to deal with and so many find themselves

walking away turning away jesus perfect life is god's light for us

john says the world often chooses sin and darkness well back to john chapter 8 jesus announces when he says i'm

John 8 · chapter mention

the light of the world that light has dawned but what happens in john's gospel shows that there is this

conflict between light and dark and it continues through the gospel we see it in these chapters we

hear it in the doubts and the questions and the criticism and the opposition of religious leaders and the crowds

we pull beyond the time of jesus to look at the whole sweep of church history and we find that this

conflict between light and dark continues and jesus followers who who live in the way of love what happens

so often there is persecution hatred opposition god's church marginalized

there are many countries where god's people are being persecuted today

many followers of jesus find themselves in prison today for nothing other than wanting to be faithful

to god's word to jesus as savior

but it's not just out there where we see this battle between light and dark we go to our own

hearts and don't we don't we discover that that battle between light and dark continues there too

don't we as christians find that we struggle with sin

and though we live in the light we find ourselves at times drawn to the dark side

paul the great apostle would say that in romans 7 as he found himself so often doing the things

he didn't want to do and unable to do the things that he wanted to do because of this sin battle that

still goes on in our hearts

perhaps if you're here today you're not a christian you recognize that battle because you find yourself

at times being drawn to jesus but then but wanting to resist his claims

not wanting to submit to him as lord and to live for him

jesus said i am the light of the world and john's gospel

it speaks about the the conflict between light and dark in those different kingdoms and

and it's a reminder that we must choose jesus says follow me whoever follows me

so we're being called to choose our kingdom

to live in the light or to to walk in the way of darkness are we going to run to jesus the light or run

from his light because we don't want to be exposed

jesus said i'm the light of the world

it speaks to us of light and darkness but it also

speaks of light secondly light and revelation

jesus has come to reveal

certain things to us well

verses 13 to 20

and as this controversy in a sense continues between jesus and the pharisees and some in the crowd

there's a sense that jesus has made the claim and people are resisting immediately verse 13

the pharisees challenged him

here you are appearing as your own witness

your testimony is not valid

they understand jesus has just made a huge claim about himself

but their instinct is to say

you can't just speak for yourself

you can't just make a claim like that

they put jesus in a sense in a trial situation

who are your witnesses to back up this huge claim you've just made

and so jesus in chapter 8 is going to take the opportunity to again reveal his identity

to again show his unique relationship with his father

to show his unique ability to reveal the glory of god

look at what he says in verse 14

even if i testify on my own behalf my testimony is valid for two reasons

jesus says my word is enough

one i know where i came from and two i know where i am going

jesus appeals to his unique origin

he has come from the father

he has come from the glory of heaven

and he talks about his unique destiny

he knows that he's returning to his father

he's returning to his father's presence

he's returning to glory

and so he is able to speak for himself

jesus knows that the crowd misunderstand

verse 15 you judge by human standards

they judge by worldly standards

they ask him later

where's your father

where's joseph

they're blind to god's light

they're blind to the reality that jesus is bringing

that he himself is the son of god

so verse 19 when they ask

where is your father in that sense

they want to to bring him out to trial

well jesus if you're if you're talking about your father and saying he'll speak for you

well we want to meet him

to question him

not understanding that the father is god himself

some of us

have a law background

some of us just like watching crime dramas perhaps

and we've probably recognized that in a criminal trial

and when an expert witness can be found to give testimony

often that proves to be the decisive point in a case

so a lawyer might travel the length of the country to find the right expert witness

to come and to give testimony in a particular case

well

jesus is on trial here

and the question being asked is

is jesus really

the light of the world

is he really showing us the life of god

and the glory of god

or

not

and so jesus says

i am the one who testifies for myself

my other witness is the father who sent me

so let's think about that for a moment

let's think about the father's testimony about jesus that we find in the bible

just in the gospels

where you go lots of places around the bible

but let's just stick to the gospels

and let's think about jesus baptism

so jesus is just about to begin his public ministry

and he comes to be baptized by john the baptist

and what happens

heaven is opened

spirit comes down in the form of a dove

and there's the voice from heaven the father speaks

and he says this is my son

i love him

i'm well pleased with him

here's the father's testimony

direct from heaven

and then we can go to the transfiguration

that point where jesus and three of his closest disciples

go up a mountain

and there for a moment

it's as if the curtains of heaven

are pulled back

and jesus shines with the full glory of god

and again

voice from heaven

this is my son

i love him

listen to him

that's the father's testimony about the son

he's the son

he loves him

he's well pleased with him

and we should listen to him

jesus speaks in chapter 8

again about his unique relationship with his father

which means jesus uniquely reveals

we're thinking about revelation

jesus uniquely reveals god to us

so some verses

chapter 8 verse 29

the father who sent me

is with me

he has not left me alone

for i always do

what pleases him

the actions of jesus

reveal god

chapter 8 verse 42

if god were your father

you would love me

for i have come here from god

i have not come on my own

god sent me

to love god

to know god

is to know

and to love

jesus his son

and jesus makes that really explicit

in chapter 10

in verse 30

when he says simply

i

and the father

are

one

i and the father

are one

so jesus is saying

i

am

able

and i uniquely

reveal god

to the world

to look at jesus

in the gospels

is to see

the glory of god

and to listen

to the words of jesus

is to listen

to the words of god

to watch the actions

of jesus

is to see

the will of god

when jesus

dies on the cross

he's showing

the father's will

to save

sinners

like us

it's no wonder

he says

i am the light

of the world

because he has that

revealing

quality

and that's why

jesus says

follow me

follow me

because

i alone

can show you

god

god's glory

god's plan

of salvation

with jesus

all human

speculation

stops

because now

we're dealing

with god's

revelation

and this is an idea

that we can find

throughout the old

testament

this idea of

following god

and following

god's glory

god's glory

is light

so exodus 13

so shortly after

the ninth plague

comes the tenth plague

and then the people

are set free

and the reality

for god's rescued

people as they

find themselves

in the wilderness

is that they

are those who

follow god

they follow god's

light

the pillar of cloud

by day

pillar of fire

by night

this

this fire

this light

this revel

was always

ahead of them

and directing

them

psalm 119

Psalms 119:105

verse 105

god's word

is a lamp

to our feet

and a light

to our path

god's light

is the light

that we are

to follow

as the people

of god

if we want

to be guided

in faith

and obedience

we need to

listen to god's

word

and who is

jesus

he is the

word

who became

flesh

and then

there's

wonderful

wonderful

promise

in isaiah

Isaiah 60 · chapter mention

chapter 60

and verse 19

hope to an

exiled people

hope for us

today

wonderful picture

isaiah 60

Isaiah 60:19

verse 19

the sun

will no more

be your light

by day

nor will the

brightness of

the moon

shine on you

for the lord

will be your

everlasting light

and your god

will be

your glory

it is jesus

i am light

the one who

reveals

a glory

from god

far greater

than the

sun

that shines

in the sky

jesus says

i am the

one to

follow

i am the

voice to

listen to

i am the

glory to

see

and to

believe

the reality

that we see

in the

crowds

the reality

that we need

to recognize

today is that

it's entirely

possible to

see the

light

but not

respond

properly

to that

light

let me

share a

story

from a

naval

officer

by the

name of

frank

coch

he was

serving

on a

naval

battleship

one of

those huge

battleships

on routine

maneuvers

in the

ocean

when the

weather

turned

and the

weather

was truly

awful

for three

days

they had

virtually

no

visibility

the waves

so big

they were

crashing

over the

boat

and then

one day

day four

a lookout

report

came

to say

captain

light

on

starboard

i have

no idea

which way

starboard

is

let's

imagine

it's that

light

on the

starboard

and the

reply

from the

captain

then as soon as he heard about this light he wanted to send a message and the message he wanted to ask was

is it stationary

stationary

or is it moving

is it moving astern

is it turning

and the reply from the lookout was

it's stationary

so now the captain knows

hold on a minute

now

this light is

is directly in our path

we're heading for a collision

so he knows action needs to be taken

so he sends a signal

over to this other light

and he says

in his signal

i advise you to change course

20 degrees

east

and he waits a few moments

and a response

flashed back

i advise you

to change course

20 degrees west

okay the captain

is not

best pleased

at this

the captain gets really mad

he starts

claiming

his title

i'm a captain

the reply flashed back

i'm a captain of a battleship

change your course

and the reply came back a few moments later

i'm a lighthouse

change your course

so important to respond

to the light

so important

today i wonder

if there are some of us here

we've seen the light

we we've heard the teaching of jesus

we've seen his glory

in the gospels

the glory of his truth

and of his love

but still we won't change course

still we are

living in the darkness

there's another call

to believe in him

to see our need

of him

to follow

and to believe

i think it's a reminder too

for us who are followers

of jesus

it is crucial for our day-to-day life

that we are following jesus

like we're living

in the light

we're trusting in him

as the son of god

as our savior

that we be listening to

obeying

applying god's word

to our hearts

together

as we gather

for worship

together

as families

and as individuals

that we be hearing

and responding

and living in the light

that we'd be

worshiping

so before we move on

from this

we need to remind ourselves

too of our future hope

as it connects with light

so remember

it's sam 60

where it said

there'll be no more sun

because the glory of god

will be the everlasting light

well you can go to

to revelation 21

second last chapter

in the bible

verse 23

picks up that same

image

it to say to us

in the new heavens

and the new earth

the glory of god

and the glory of the lamb

are the light

of god's kingdom

there is no need

for the sun

there's no need

for the moon

for this

this greater light

of glory

as followers of jesus

that's our great hope

that we will live

bathing

in the light

of that glory

but until that day

what are we called to

we're called to walk

in the light

we're called to follow jesus

until we see his glory

fully revealed

now moving from there

to the last thing

i want us to notice

to think about the connection

between light

and salvation

so we'll move to

verses 21

to 30

and to think

about a couple of warnings

that that also

by faith become promises

verse 21

jesus says

i'm going away

and you'll look for me

and you will die

in your sin

where i go

you cannot come

and in verse 24

very similar

i told you that you would die

in your sins

if you do not believe

that i am he

you will indeed

die in your sin

so there is a severe

warning there

to fail to

to believe

and to respond

is to die

in our sins

but there's also

a promise

that if we believe

in jesus

we will live

we will have forgiveness

we will live

in his life

we will know

salvation from god

and the bible

makes a really strong

connection between

light and salvation

we sung

it's psalm 27

Psalms 27:1

verse 1

the lord's my savior

and my light

who will make me

afraid

isaiah 9

Isaiah 9:2

verse 2

familiar words

as we prepare

for christmas

often the people

walking in darkness

have seen

great light

again promised

to an exiled

people

to a far away

from god

people

that the light

of god's salvation

would shine on them

again as god's savior

would come

and that savior

isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:6

verse 6

he would be

a light

for the gentiles

that salvation

may reach

to the ends

of the earth

jesus didn't come

just to be the savior

for a few small people

in one particular country

he came

to bring

the promise

the invitation

the hope

of salvation

to all peoples

of the world

jesus says

i am the light

of the world

whoever follows me

will not walk

in the darkness

but have the light

of life

that's that's

salvation language

to to follow jesus

is to be saved

is to know

god's life

and god's joy

and god's love

to recognize he is

that promised savior

to recognize he is

the only hope

for the world

it's that belief

that that encourages us

despite whatever challenges

that we feel internally

or opposition

outside of ourselves

that encourage us

to continue

with mission

continues

to encourage us

to share our faith

to support global mission

because jesus is

the light of the world

and knowing him

brings us

to know the light

of life

how will this salvation

come

how will this salvation

come

look with me

at verse 28

so jesus said

when you have lifted up

the son of man

then you will know

that i am he

and that i do nothing

on my own

but speak just

what the father

has taught me

salvation comes

in the lifting up

of jesus

the son of man

double meaning there

lifted up

jesus would be lifted up

wouldn't he physically

on the cross

to die

but jesus at the same time

would also be

exalted

and raised up

in glory

the cross

is the great

lifting up

of jesus

as the son of god

and as god's

promised savior

in that lifting up

it reveals

as jesus says

i am he

i am the one

god promised

from the very beginning

of the bible

genesis 3

all the way

through the old testament

the promised savior

she said

i am he

i have come to accomplish

that plan

the waiting

how will god save

people for himself

the waiting is over

jesus would

would come

as the light of the world

and as light

he would win that

victory of light

over darkness

on the cross

defeating his enemies

and hours

satan

death

sin

swallowed up

by jesus

it all connects

to his hour

john's gospel

talks a lot

about his hour

verse 20

said jesus

hour had not yet come

this hour that dominates

john's gospel

is the hour of jesus

suffering

and death

and resurrection

and return to glory

so the cross

is part of that

journey

part of that hour

that was planned

by god the father

for god the son

and that hour

reveals his glory

to us

the glory

of his

salvation

so to go back

to verse 21

and to go back

to verse 24

the promise of

jesus as savior

is that if we believe

we'll not die in sin

because there is

forgiveness in him

and we will go

where he goes

and where is jesus

going he's going

back to his father's

presence

and jesus would say

i'm going

to my father's

house to prepare

a place for my

people and if i go

i'll come back

and i'll take them

to be with me

we may live together

forever in joy

and in the light

of god's glory

jesus

came the light

of the world

and he would die

in the darkness

good friday

but the dawning

of the first light

of easter sunday

he was risen

in glory

and victory

and power

so that all

who believe in him

might live

in his light

also

so let's again

close

with an invitation

to reflect

to you

do i

do we want

to live

in the light

darkness

or in

the darkness

and we've begun

reading lord of the rings

with our eldest

and if you've seen the movies

or read the book

perhaps one of the

the standout characters

that you'll remember

is

golem

golem who finds

the ring of power

golem who chooses

the dark places

doesn't he

golem who chose

to make his home

under the mountains

golem who in time

comes to hate

the sunlight

you see this

in the crowds

in jesus day

jesus comes

as the light

of the world

and many

hated him

they chose

the dark places

they turned

their back

on jesus

they wouldn't

believe in him

exposed to the

light of his

glory

they wanted

nothing

to do with him

they wanted

rid of him

that they might

continue

to live

their own

lives

there is a sense

of tragedy

when we read

the gospels

as we see

some of the

wrong responses

to jesus

here is the

one who would

give true

life

and light

and joy

and beauty

and peace

but men

women turned

away from him

from the son

of god

from his

revelation

of truth

and glory

from the

salvation

that he

offers

let me say

to each one

of us

here today

let's not

follow them

on that

path

let's not

miss

the light

of jesus

let's be

those who

will admit

our sin

admit our

need

who will

believe in

jesus

and come

to him

in repentance

and faith

let's follow

jesus

the light

the light

of the

world

the one

who came

and defeated

darkness

revealing the

light of god's

glory and will

the one who

brings salvation

let's live

in his light

today

let's pray

together

father god

we thank you

for sending

jesus

to be the

light of the

world

just as we

need the

light of the

sun

for life

so we

need

life

and light

that comes

from jesus

your son

we thank you

for his

willingness

to suffer

and die

even as we'll

shortly

as your

people share

the lord's

supper

as we'll

remember

the cost

of our

salvation

we thank

you that

father you

are willing

to send

your son

in your

love

we thank

you for

jesus

willingness

to come

and to

demonstrate

your love

and that

while we

were sinners

christ died

for us

lord help

us to

respond

to his

light

and to

his

truth

to come

to him

for salvation

and to

live

with faith

and obedience

in him

please help

us in that

we ask in

jesus name

amen

now let's

sing

together

we'll actually

sing a section

that we began

with our call

to worship

from psalm 36

and we're

going to sing

a section

of that together

we'll stand

to sing

and as we're

standing our

boys and girls

will come

back in

to join

us